Sa'dabad Complex

Sa'dabad Complex
Sa'dabad Complex
مجموعه سعدآباد
	The White Palace
	Location in Tehran
General information
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Address	Darband, Zafaraniyeh, Tajrish, Valiasr Street
Town or city	Tehran
Country	Iran
Coordinates	35°49′2″N 51°25′25″E / 35.81722°N 51.42361°E
Current tenants	President of Iran
Construction started	1921
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Hossein Behzad

The Sa'dabad Complex (Persian: مجموعه سعدآباد, romanized: Majmuʻe-ye Saʻd-âbâd) is a 80 hectare complex built by the Qajar and Pahlavi monarchs, located in Shemiran, Greater Tehran, Iran. Today, the official residence of the President of Iran is located adjacent to the complex.

The complex includes natural forest, streets, qanats, galleries, mansions/palaces and museums.

History

The complex was initially built and inhabited by Qajar dynasty of monarchs in the 19th century. After extensive expansions, Reza Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty resided there in the 1920s. His son, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, moved there in the 1970s. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter stayed in the palace during a visit to Iran to guarantee U.S. support for the regime.^[1] After the 1979 Revolution, the complex became a public museum.

Present use

Large parts of the complex are museums, which are accessible to visitors. Other parts are currently used by the Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The complex is operated by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran.

Sites

Gates to the complex

Nezamie Gate, from which Reza Shah would enter the complex.
Zaferanie Gate, Currently used by the presidency organization.
Gate of Darband Street, from which the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi would enter the complex.
Gate of Darband Square
Ja'far Abad Gate (1st)
Ja'far Abad Gate (2nd)
River Gate
The White House Gate

Main buildings

Ahmad Shah Qajar Palace

(not to be confused with the Pavilion of Ahmad Shah Qajar in the Niavaran Complex)

The Green Palace

(also known as the Shahvand House)

The Mellat Museum

The White Palace, former official residence of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Empress Farah Diba.

Museum of Natural History

The Special Palace, currently used by the presidency organization.

Museum of Fine Arts

The Black Palace

Museum of Anthropology

Princess Shams Palace, named after Shams Pahlavi.

Museum of Glassware and Handicrafts

Princess Ashraf Palace, named after the sister of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Building of the Amendment 36 (a governmental agency)

Prince Gholam Reza palace, named after Gholam Reza Pahlavi.

Palace of the King Mother

Currently used by the presidency organization.

Prince Ahmad Reza Palace, named after 2nd son of Reza Shah

Currently used by the presidency organization.

Administration of the complex

Prince Abdol Reza Palace, named after Abdul Reza Pahlavi, the son of Reza Shah.

The Training Center

Prince Bahman Palace, named after the son of Gholam Reza Pahlavi.

The Military Museum

Prince Shahram Palace, named after the son of Ashraf Pahlavi.

Museum of Artistic Creatures

Palace of Farideh Ghotbi, mother of Empress Farah Diba.

The Behzad Museum

1st Palace of Reza Pahlavi, named after Reza Pahlavi II.

Museum of Treasure (The Dafine Museum)

2nd Palace of Reza Pahlavi, currently used by the presidency organization.

Museum of Mir Emad Calligraphy

Palace of Princess Farahnaz and Prince Ali Reza, named after Farahnaz and Ali Reza, children of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

The Abkar Museum

Princess Leila Palace, named after Leila Pahlavi.

Palace of the King's mother

During the Pahlavi period, this palace was the place of the last years of Reza Shah's life before his exile to Mauritius. It was also the place of residence of the king's mother (Taj al-Muluk) until the time of the 1979 Revolution.

This palace is currently in the possession of the Presidential Institution of Iran and is reserved for special guests of the Government of Iran; and for this reason it is also famous as "The Republic Building". This palace is also currently inaccessible to the public.^[2]

The Green Palace

The Green Museum Palace has been called "the most beautiful palace in Iran". This palace is important due to its historical and architectural importance. It dates back to the Qajar period and has two styles of Iranian architecture. They called this palace "The Stone Palace" during the reign of Reza Khan and "The Shahvand palace" during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi; later, it was called "The Green Palace" because of its green façade.^[3]

The Mellat Museum

The Palace of the Nation Museum with an area of 7,000 square meters is the largest palace in Sa'dabad complex.

Until after the 1979 revolution and the transfer of the complex to the Cultural Heritage Organization, it was renamed "The Palace of the Nation Museum" (Mellat museum in Persian). The construction of the Palace, began in the late Pahlavi period.